1
as in played
to engage in activity for amusement
he spent his college years dallying, seemingly determined to acquire as little knowledge as possible
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lingered
to move or act slowly
don't dally on the way to the interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in dawdled
to spend time doing nothing
I kept dallying at my desk until I couldn't put off doing my work any longer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dallied
The full-backs, meanwhile, took their time from throw-ins, ensuring team-mates behind the ball were secure and Emiliano Martinez, who produced a second spellbinding save in as many visits to Nottingham, dallied from goal kicks.
—
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dallied
Verb
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The game was played in Texas but Knicks fans gathered at watch parties across the city to witness the team battle back in the fourth quarter to take the title.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Although the championship-clinching game was played thousands of miles away, police maintained a large presence around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks' home arena.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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When a father in an England jersey led his young sons toward the concourse, one lingered behind long enough to see Croatia’s Martin Baturina score in the 36th minute, after which the youngster registered his disgust.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
-
That faded almost immediately, though the headache lingered half the day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Verb
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By early 2002, Marklar had attracted more attention within Apple, and then-CEO Steve Jobs briefly flirted with the idea of allowing Mac OS X to run on Sony’s Vaio laptops.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
15 June 2026
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At the end of the 1990s, the Spurs flirted with leaving San Antonio before voters approved funding a $175 million arena in 1999.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.—
Thomas Black,
Twin Cities,
21 Dec. 2025
-
Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Four years later — after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.—
Pat Graham,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
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Four years later — and after the Broncos had toyed unsuccessfully with finding his replacement — Morton teamed with a new coach, his former Cowboys teammate Dan Reeves.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
Verb
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That money was delayed in getting to Foxborough amid a congressional funding freeze.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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The team’s charter flight from Mexico to Miami Sunday night was delayed a few hours due to missing documentation.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The couple giggled between kisses and lounged on a red-and-white picnic blanket while overlooking the Pacific Ocean.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
Party people lounged on the dock, their legs dangling over turquoise water, while tequila flowed freely.—
Serena Turner,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
In that second leadership election, he was roundly defeated by Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran socialist whose victory dragged the party leftwards.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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As the Bucks dragged their feet on the Antetokounmpo situation, a number of other teams gave up on the season entirely.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dallied. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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